Storage full? How to adjust your photos to save space

Fun fact: Whenever I’m watching a show with Barry that I’m not very into (ahem, “Franklin,” so boring), I open up my photo app and start deleting. It’s my time for a little digital cleanup. 

It’s not just junk filling up storage. High-res photos look stunning, but they eat up so much space on your phone. If you want to scale it back a bit, I’ve got the lowdown for you. You can thank me later because you’ll likely never see that annoying “Storage full” notification again.

There isn’t a direct setting within the Camera app for iPhones to lower the resolution. But you’ve got a couple of workarounds:

  • Use a different app: You can download third-party camera apps from the App Store to set the photo resolution manually. The Camera+ or ProCamera apps are both good options.
  • Post-capture editing: After taking the photo, reduce its resolution using editing tools. Simply open the picture, select Edit and crop the image slightly. This will reduce the file size. There are also apps for batch-resizing photos, like Image Size or Resize.
  • Email it to yourself: I know it sounds archaic, but it works. When you attach a photo in the Mail app and try to send it, you’ll be prompted to select a smaller file size.

For Android, the steps vary by device and camera app. Here’s the general idea:

  • Camera settings: Open the Camera app, go to Settings (usually a gear icon), and look for an option related to picture size, resolution or aspect ratio. Here, you can select a lower resolution.
  • Third-party apps: Similar to iPhones, third-party camera apps like Open Camera let you choose the resolution before taking a picture.
  • Post-capture: Use photo editing apps to manually lower the resolution after you’ve snapped your pic. Android usually has built-in options for this, but apps like Pixlr can also help.

Whether you’re Team iPhone or Team Android, lowering your photo resolution is totally doable. Your storage will thank you!

🎞️ I used to shoot pics on a film camera, then switched to a DSLR and now my phone. I’m trying to think of the downsides, but there are just no negatives.

Blu-rays are back: Why people are building physical media libraries again

Remember when you’d go to Costco and buy DVD movies? Some habits are hard to break and I’m embarrassed to admit I buy a ton of movies on Apple and Amazon. That’s why the news coming out now surprises even the cynical me.

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'Juror #2' trailer (2024) feat. Nicholas Hoult, Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood’s 94 and still directing. The trailer just dropped for his newest film, “Juror #2.” It’s a courtroom thriller. (I know, shocker.) Looks good! My goal is to be like Clint when I’m 94!

Cheap phone-free cameras

I love having a really good camera on my phone, but I don’t always want my phone with me. That’s why I’m glad cameras still exist — and they’re totally back in with the younger crowd.

  • Disposable: Kind of surprised they still make disposable cams but also thrilled they do. I used to love giving Ian one of these when he was a kid and seeing what he’d captured. Maybe I’ll give this one to Barry! It’s 16% off ($14.29).
  • 35mm: For a reusable option, you can’t beat the price of the Sprite 35‑II from Ilford ($23.99). Lightweight and light on the wallet. Don’t forget the film!
  • Digital: The marketing copy on this baby: “Shoot decent images with ease.” Love the honesty. A decent digital camera! Nab it now for 20% off ($39).

🍸 Shaken, not stirred: The Broccoli family has produced every James Bond film since 1962. In 2022, they sold the rights to Amazon for $8.5 billion (as part of the MGM acquisition). After years of power struggles, Amazon now has creative control and hopefully we’ll see a new James Bond soon. Speaking of … Where do James Bond actors go when they die? 00Heaven. (So good!)

Trivia

What was the first feature film to use computer-generated imagery, aka CGI? Was it … A.) “Star Wars: A New Hope,“ B.) “Tron,“ C.) “Westworld“ or D.) “Alien“?

Find the answer here!

$5,495

Manufacturer’s suggested retail price for Kodak’s new Super 8 video camera. It’s a film and digital hybrid (cool!) and charges via micro-USB (lame). You can add your name to the waitlist if you love vintage-looking footage and have money to burn.

On | The Secret of LightSpray™ | Dream Together

The future of high-performance running is here. Lighter. Faster. Less waste. No distractions. Watch the short film, “The Secret of LightSpray™,” now. Discover more about LightSpray™: https://on.com/lightspray#film

Dress for the job you want: Famous actor John Lithgow took that literally and sent a naked photo of himself to the director of his new film, “Jimpa.” The 79-year-old actor wanted to prove he was game for full-frontal scenes. He’s been nude on stage and screen before and says he likes hanging out.

🔞 AI porn star: A 33-year-old adult film star sold her likeness to an AI company to lighten the load of her, ahem, demanding career. Chloe Amour says she loves connecting with fans, but she can’t always fulfill all their desires. Enter AI: Now she can be everything they want, anytime they want it. Business is booming. One guy says he’s dropped $10,000 a month on AI “girlfriends.”

🎥 “Endorsement for AI”: That’s what Lisa Kudrow is calling Tom Hanks’ new film, “Here.” The Robert Zemeckis-directed flick uses AI to de-age Hanks and Robin Wright into younger versions of themselves. The “Friends” star thinks bots will replace real actors. It’s like she heard my show last week.

It’s going to be hard to tell what’s real anymore: TV maker TCL just debuted five fully AI-generated movies at the former Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood … which TCL owns the naming rights to. There’s a rom-com, a sci-fi flick, a documentary, a superhero movie and a film about a woman who turns into a slug (no idea), all streaming free on TCL TVs. I’m surprised the big media outlets aren’t talking about this. It’s a huge blow for any actor (or wannabe).

A wicked amount of money: A mom is suing Mattel for $5 million. The “Wicked” movie doll she bought for her daughter had a link to a p*rn website instead of the film’s official page. Mom says visiting the site caused lots of emotional distress for them both … that only money can help.

94 years old

Clint Eastwood’s age — and he’s still directing. The trailer just dropped for his newest film, “Juror #2.” It’s a courtroom thriller. (I know, shocker.) Looks good! My goal is to be like Clint when I’m 94.

Trivia

How did the founders of Uber come up with the idea for the company? Was it … A.) From the memorable taxi ride in the 1954 classic film “On the Waterfront,” B.) Because one of the founder’s fathers drove a shuttle service van, C.) Based on a pair of Ivy League grads who moved to Silicon Valley, or D.) Sparked by waiting for a taxi in Paris on a snowy night?

Find the answer here!

92 minutes is U.S. moviegoers’ ideal feature film length

Film critics disagree: “Oppenheimer” won the Oscar last year at double that length — 180 minutes! A perfect movie to test the theory: 1940’s “His Girl Friday.” Starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, it’s, yep, 92 minutes.

Don’t believe everything you see on Netflix: The latest doc, “What Jennifer Did,” uses AI-generated images to depict killer Jennifer Pan as a fun, bubbly girl. In reality, she paid hitmen $10,000 to murder her parents in 2010. With no AI disclosure during the film, it’s clear the documentary isn’t about historical accuracy — just bringing in more viewers.

2.3 million views on a fake James Bond movie trailer

Now folks are begging for a real version. The phony “Bond 26” vid “stars” AI versions of Henry Cavill and Margot Robbie. The creator used a mix of AI and existing film clips to create the trailer. Fun fact: Remixing film clips generally falls under fair use; otherwise, this trailer would be banned, James banned.

Trivia

What was the first feature film to use computer-generated imagery, aka CGI? Was it … A.) “Star Wars: A New Hope,“ B.) “Tron,“ C.) “Westworld“ or D.) “Alien“?

Find the answer here

$6,500 more for paint

That’s how much a colorful Cybertruck will cost ya. Tesla just released paint film wraps in three colors: Slip grey, satin rose gold and satin abyss blue. A Cybertruck starts at $60,990, and some owners say the finish is rusting. Oh, the irony.